Today I write to you from my dorm room in Denver, Colorado. It’s wonderful to be back with all my friends, but I can’t deny that I am still greatly missing Arkansas Children’s Hospital. We had a wonderful last week there and the people we worked with made it known how much they truly appreciated our presence. On Monday, the culmination of all my hard work with Kelley, the hospital photographer, manifested into the greatest opportunity I have had in AmeriCorps so far, and invite to photograph on the Arkansas state senate floor! Awards were to be presented by the governor to several hospital staff and, of course, a photographer would be needed to photograph this event. So I put on my AmeriCorps best and entered the capitol building. After the award ceremony I got the opportunity to tour the capitol building; this completely white marble structure built in 1915 definitely impressed. As we entered the governor’s office, the governor walked up right behind us and began to chat like any other person would! Cool! All-in-all it was a fabulous day and I will forever be thankful for the privilege I received that day.
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| The man in the red tie, yup, thats the governor! |
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| A photo I took inside, facing the House |
On our last day, Thursday, the team was presented with a gorgeous southern style ‘thank you’ lunch. All of our supervisors were invited to eat with us and asked to talk about how we made a difference at the hospital and in their lives. We then said our thank yous and goodbyes and returned to our apartments to pack. We left Little Rock at 8am Friday morning and as I watched the hospital fade into the distance I shed a tear and thought of all the wonderful things it has taught and showed me. Here is some of the knowledge I have gathered from my time there:
- It is better to see an ambulance then a hearse.
- It is better to hear crying then hear nothing at all.
- A loving embrace can cure more than it is given credit for.
- Death, sadly, is a part of life. It does not need to be understood, only accepted.
- Give thanks for your health everyday because tomorrow it could be gone.
I love my family and friends very much and wish all of you happiness, healthiness, and peace of mind.
Lindz,
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience you have had through AmeriCorps to graciously give your time, your compassion and positive energy to those in need. I am also so happy that you had a wonderful opportunity to contribute your photographer's eye and creativity to your Arkansas assignment. The photograph of the Capitol steps is a beautiful study- I love it! Keep applying the amazing talent you have, wherever and whenever you journey outward!